


Te vouloir comme ça

by Wow_girl1244



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Identity Reveal, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 12:49:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16913160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wow_girl1244/pseuds/Wow_girl1244
Summary: Adrien knew that wanting things only made life more difficult.That didn’t stop him from wanting her.





	Te vouloir comme ça

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> Thank you for reading my work! I hope you enjoy it!  
> Comment your thoughts below, please!  
> Happy reading!

Adrien knew that wanting things only made life more difficult. There was Ladybug, who he thought about frequently. And then, there was-

“Kid you chased after Marinette at that ice rink. You spent a whole day with her and took her to watch your moms movie. You sat with her at the back of the classroom just because you liked her smile that day.”

And then there was Marinette. But Adrien didn’t want to admit that yet. Because if he did…well, wanting two different people wouldn’t help anything.

So Adrien opened his mouth to object, but Plagg cut him off. “Don’t try lying.” Adrien snapped his mouth shot and shot his kwami a look. Plagg continued, “What does all of this sound like to you?”

Adrien shook his head. “They sound like me being concerned about my friend, my friend having to deal with the consequences of being seenin public with me, and me wanting to make sure my friend was okay.” And he emphasized the ‘friend’ in every sentence to add to that.

Plagg let out a long, suffering groan as he turned away. “You are the most insufferable Chat Noir I have ever known.”

But the blonde said nothing in return as he looked out the window, a part of him hoping for a peek at the spotted heroine.

He couldn’t deny that a part of him found itself wondering about his classmate at random moments. Like when he was at photoshoot and he started thinking about how much more fun it would be if she were there. Or when he spotted a certain fabric or design and he wanted to show it to her and see her smile and jumping up and down in glee. Or _every single time_ he smelled anything remotely related to a bakery and his thoughts jumped to her and his whole body relaxed as if she were right there with him.

It was just that…well, he liked Ladybug. And he knew she liked someone else, but he still hoped with every fiber in his being. He lived a life that he knew would make most envious, in which his father gave him everything he could ever want. But that was the problem.

Adrien leaned his head against the window. He didn’t want any of those things. He only wanted one thing, and she was always just out of his reach. He sighed. It wasn’t that he was a petulant child who was used to getting everything he wanted. It wasn’t that at all.

If Ladybug made him work for her for the rest of his life, she would be worth it. She wouldn’t do that, though, because she was too kind for that.

And the sad part of it all was that a small part of Adrien understood. It was the same part of him that understood why she kept a distance between them, why she didn’t want to reveal her identity to him.

That didn’t stop him from wanting her.

 

So when Chat Noir caught up to Ladybug later that night during patrol, all his wants crowded his head until there was nothing else in his head but _Ladybug_ over and over again. Her smile, her eyes, her laugh.

“Hello, my lady,” he said as he came to sit next to her.

She turned and there was that smile that pushed itself to the front of his mind whenever he had gotten her out of his head for a just a moment so he could focus on homework or fencing or _anything else at all_. “Hello, _mon chaton_.” Because she was his and he was hers.

He sat next to her. “I’ve been looking fur-ward to this all day."

She rolled her eyes, and said, “If you don’t quit your flirting, kitty, I might just stop coming to patrol.” She didn’t giggle like she sometimes did, but the sparkle in her eyes and the slight flush on her face was just as wonderful.

So Chat found himself leaning closer as he said, “I think you like my flirting.” And a triumphant smile came onto his face at the wide-eyed gaze she gave him.

Her face flushed heavily now as she stammered, “W-what…do you mean?”

He raised a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear because he couldn’t stop himself from touching her every opportunity he got. Especially not tonight, when she’d been all he’d been able to think about all day. “I think a certain stray cat has snuck into your heart.”

This time she smiled as she shook her head. She faced forward. “Don’t be sill kitty.” Chat’s heart fell for a second, and he let his hand fall, facing forward as well.

But then she was saying, in a slightly breathless voice that made him warm all over, “You’ve always been in my heart.”

He turned and saw a small smile on her face, and her eyes were so bright it was all he could do not to kiss her. “Really,” he asked and he knew he voice had a childlike glee to it, but, really, he couldn’t help himself.

Then there was that giggle, and it was 3/3 and Chat fell in love all over again. “Yes, really, you should know that by now.” She turned to face him and though he couldn’t see it, he could tell she was raising an eyebrow. “Why would you doubt that you’re one of the most important people in my life?”

He couldn’t look away from her gaze, even as the words spilled out of him. “Because sometimes you push me away.” And he knew that she would say something about protecting everyone else and how that was more important, and he knew she was right, but there was that want.

But she didn’t say any of that. Instead she stood up, and offered him a hand. He took it and when he stood she placed her hands on either side of his face, and there was a sorrow and longing in her eyes. “Chat…you don’t know how often I wish that we’d met as normal teenagers instead. That I could…that I could be with you like…”

She didn’t finish, but she didn’t have to. The words hung in the air: _like we both want to._

A claws hand came up to grasp her waist and pull her closer, the other rising over her hand on his face, keeping it there. They didn’t say anything else, simply held each other in the night as if staying there would mean they could stay there forever.

But the sun rose, and Ladybug regretfully said she had to leave and Chat was left there with more longing than he had before.

 

Adrien had bags under his eyes the next day as he trudged up the steps to school. Nathalie had clucked her tongue and shook his head when she saw him, saying he should get more sleep or his father would be disappointed. He had wanted to ask if his father would care because he genuinely cared or because of his modeling career. Instead Adrien had walked away, feeling, somehow, worse than before.

So when he ran into someone when he rounded a corner, the groan that came out his mouth was all anger and annoyance.

“I’m…I’m s-so sorry, Adrien,” and it was that lyrical voice that had him softening as he looked up to meet Marinette’s bluebell eyes.

She looked even worse than he did, her eyes rimmed red as if she’d spent the past night crying. He felt his heart tug, a mixture of worry and wondering how she managed to look this beautiful even when she was this exhausted.

Adrien shook his head, helping her up. “It’s not your fault.” He didn’t let go of her hand and he felt the glow that always seemed to surround her seep into his skin, warming him. He raised a hand to touch her, because he wanted to, but then he stopped. He shouldn’t be so reckless with his wants.

Especially not with his friend, no matter how kind or gorgeous Marinette was. But he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Are you okay?”

She blushed slightly, and averted his eyes. He wondered why, until she spoke and there was a bit of mortification in her voice as she asked, “Do I look that bad?”

Adrien shook his head. How could he say she looked as beautiful as ever without letting her know that while a part of him belonged to Ladybug, the rest of him yearned for her? “No, you look…you don’t look bad at all.”

It wasn’t quite how he wanted to word it, but it worked all the same as she met his gaze again and gave him a small smile. “I just had some trouble sleeping, is all.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Only if you tell me what’s bothering you.”

And how could he tell her no?

 

“You go first,” Marinette insisted as she turned to face him on the bench they were seated on.

He nodded, biting his lip as he considered how much he could tell her without saying too much. “It’s just…do you ever find yourself wanting something so badly that you find yourself not caring about the consequences? There are a million reasons why you shouldn’t try, and you know each and every one of them by heart, but you still want this thing more than anything in the world?”

A look crossed her eyes briefly and it told him that she understood. She looked at her hands. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she replied, “Yes. All the time.” Her gaze felt faraway and she seemed to be remembering something. But then she shook his head and looked back at him. “Why do you ask?”

Adrien sighed as he leaned back in the bench. He scrubbed his face with his hands. “That’s my problem. I want…something like I’ve never wanted anything else before. And I can’t have it.”

Her head cocked to the side in a gesture that was adorable and he found himself wanting to reach out to touch her again. He restrained himself, though, because Marinette deserved better than someone who’s heart was torn in two different directions.

“Why can’t you have it,” she asked.

“I…I just can’t. And a part of me understands, but another part…”

“Another part doesn’t. Because it’s right there and you deserve it and it’s just not fair,” Marinette finished for him.

His gaze met hers and he briefly wondered how she always managed to see right through him as he nodded. Then he was turning to face her and their knees touched and there was that same tug in his heart. “What about you? Why are you so upset?”

This time it was her that sighed as she seemed to collapse into herself slightly. “I’m actually having pretty much the same issue.”

Adrien watched as a battle seemed to rage inside herself until she shook her head. “This whole thing,” she said waving a hand in the air. “It’s just hard.”

But then she straightened, and though she looked tired she held herself up with a strength that made him want to pull her in her arms and tell her that he knew she was stronger than anyone he knew and she didn’t have to prove it.

She smiled at him, and it was so bright all his thoughts scattered. Placing a hand over his, Marinette said, “But I think…I think everything has a way of working itself out, you know? Even in the most dire of situations, you just have to remember the bright spots. Even if it’s hard, just remember how lucky you are to have what you do, even if it’s not the whole of it.”

At that moment all Adrien could think about was how lucky he was to have her in his life. His kind, brave friend. So he smiled back, and squeezed her hand. And it took everything in him to push his wants to the back of his mind.

 

“I know you like her,” Plagg said as Adrien looked out his window.

The blonde shook his head. “She’s just a-“

“Friend? Yeah, keep telling yourself that kid,” Plagg shook his head as he came closer to Adrien. “Why won’t you just admit it?”

“Because,” Adrien murmured.

“Because what?”

“Because that would just make everything more difficult! And it’s not fair to Marinette or Ladybug for me to-“

“I think you’re just making things more complicated for yourself. It would do the opposite of complicate things if you started paying more attention to Marinette,” the kwami interrupted.

Adrien shook his head and said, “You just don’t get it.”

Plagg sighed but said nothing.

Adrien pushed back the wants again. There were a million reasons why he shouldn’t have romantic feelings for two different people. And yet…he groaned as he sunk into his sofa. And yet here he was.

 

Chat Noir was on patrol later that week when he saw Marinette struggling to hold up multiple paper bags on her way home. Coming to a rest behind her he purred, “Need some help, princess.”

She whirled towards him, and her bags fell to the ground. Then she was letting out a slightly breathless laugh. “Chat Noir.” It was all she said, but it was the way she said it that had Chat taking a shaky step towards her.

“Sorry for scaring you,” he said, but she shook her head.

She watched him as she asked, “Can’t resist a damsel in distress?”

He gave her a crooked grin. “You don’t strike me as someone in need of rescuing. In fact,” he took another step towards her, and her eyes widened slightly. “I think that other people would need saving if they saw that beautiful smile of yours.”

Chat wondered if it was the mask that made him more reckless.

Her smile grew and she shook her head. “You’re such a hopeless flirt.”

And another step was taken, knees wobbling as her blue eyes hit him and he froze in place. All he could say was, “I’m hopeless for you.”

Her face flushed and Marinette bit her lip. “I bet,” but her voice was shaky so she coughed, tried again. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He shook his head. “Only the gorgeous ones with bluebell eyes who live above bakeries.” Somehow he managed to take another step forward and his heart was in his throat as she peered at him from under her eyelashes.

“Chat…” and it was in that tone that told him all he needed to know. Her hand raised and she traced his mask. It was a barely there touch, but it was all he felt and he knew he would feel her touch on him for days.

But then there was a sorrowful, longing look in her eyes that struck him with familiarity. She coughed, lowered her hand, and took a step back. “I’m sorry.”

Chat Noir took a step back as well. “Don’t be sorry.” He bent down and picked up her bags. “Can I walk you home?”

She nodded and gave him a grateful look. “Thank you, kitty.”

His heart lurched because it was so _familiar_ , but then she was walking and he was following and his thoughts turned to nothing as she gave him a smile.

He hurried to walk next to her. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he smiled at her.

She caught him looking her and blushed, though she tried to hide it by bowing her head so her hair was in her face. “What?”

Chat shook his head. “Marinette, Marinette, Marinette…you should’t let your hair cover your face when my hands aren’t available to brush it away.”

Her eyes went wide. “Chat Noir,” she admonished. “Y-you can’t keep saying stuff like that to me!”

He lowered his face to hers. “And why not?”

She stopped, flustered. Finally, she managed to whine, “Because it’s not fair.”

And he understood. He hated that he always understood, because he wanted…he stopped himself. He shouldn’t want. So he nodded, straightening up again. “I’m sorry, princess. You’re right.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they got to her house, she turned to him and paused. For a second he was sure Marinette would grab the paper bags and run inside without another word to him.

But then, too quick for him to register, she was rising on her tiptoes, hands on his shoulders, and her lips brushed his cheek. For that second, all he could smell was her familiar scent, and Marinette took over all of his senses.

She was leaning back all too soon, and she took the bags from him. Chat stood there in a daze, eyes wide and a dreamy smile on his face. “What was that for, princess?”

There was a flush on her face and a shine in her eyes as she said, “Thank you for your help, _Chat Noir_.”

His knees wobbled at her tone and then she hit him with one more breathtaking smile before she was gone.

Chat collapsed on the ground. Really, how was he supposed to control himself around her when she did things like that? Marinette was right. He was hopeless.

 

And then there was Ladybug. It was unfair that he had to deal with both of them in the same night. He wasn’t sure how much more his heart could take. But the Akuma attack had left him with no choice but to try to control himself as he faced the other blue-eyes girl who owned the other half of his heart.

She was just finishing consoling the Akuma victim when she turned and looked around. She spotted him a few building away, leaning against a wall on a rooftop. She swung over to him, and smiled as she landed in front of him.

“Hello, _mon chaton_ ,” she greeted, and he felt himself melt a little, grateful for the wall he was leaning against.

“Hi bugaboo,” he managed to get out as she leaned against the wall next to him, and her shoulder touched his arm and he sighed in content. “I’ve missed you.”

He could tell it took everything in her not to look at hi as she whispered, “I’ve missed you too.” Her hand grasped his, and her head leaned against his shoulder.

It said something about his self-restraint that he didn’t turn and kiss the top of her head like he wanted to. Instead, he tightened his grip on her hand.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot,” Ladybug admitted, and Chat tensed, something he was sure she felt.

She continued, “In fact, I can’t stop thinking about you.”

And he broke then as he turned and faced her, her eyes meeting his. And there was that longing in her bright, bright eyes as she took a deep breath and looked down at her hands.

Chat Noir shook his head. “We can’t. You like someone else. And so do I.” He forced himself to say it, because if he didn’t remind himself that then he would grab her and kiss her.

Her gaze snapped to his, and there was something like hurt in her eyes. Then she nodded, straightening herself in a way that was all too familiar to him. She reminded him of Marinette in that moment, and Marinette’s name running through his head was like a bucket of cold water over him. Because he did like someone else, wanted two people and it was unfair to everyone involved.

“You’re right,” Ladybug said. “I do. And you do?” He was sure she didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but it did, and so he nodded.

She looked away, but not before he caught the growing mortification in her eyes. He caught her hand, unable to stop himself. “But I want you.” _I want you too_ was what he should have said, but he couldn’t stand that look in her eyes and so he didn’t.

She placed her other hand on his arm, steading herself, and Chat felt the same tremor that ran through her run through him as her gaze met his.

He released her hand to cup her face, and brought her forehead to his. But she had to stand on her tiptoes for that position so her free hand landed on his chest, and her fingers searched for something to hold on to before landing on his bell. She rocked back on her heels, and he stumbled forward a bit, his hands going to her waist. And then his face was an inch from hers and neither of them breathed.

“Chat,” she said and it was breathless and needy and heavy and had him _wanting._

He swallowed thickly and trembled. She was all around him and all he knew at that moment was that it wasn’t want anymore, it was _need._ And he was so screwed.

Her head tilted up, and he knew what she wanted, and he wanted to give it to her more than anything.

But her words from an earlier time ran through his head, about how complicated this would be and so he squeezed his eyes shut. He took a deep breath before he took a step back. Then another, because any distance was too tempting.

He opened his eyes and the disappointment in her gaze had him wanting to grab her but he didn’t. “We can’t,” he repeated, but it was weaker this time, less sure.

She nodded. “We can’t,” she repeated, but it was just as weak as when he said it.

 

Adrien collapsed on his bed, and felt like he wanted to cry. It was all so unfair.

“Kid,” Plagg sighed, and it was a tone of regret. “It’ll be okay.”

The blonde said nothing as he shook his head. He brought the blankets over his head. He didn’t want to think about anything right now. Because there were only two things he would think about, and he wanted both of them too much to be able to handle that.

 

But he couldn’t escape it because the next day, when he was sitting in the locker room, trying to hide from everyone, Marinette found him.

“Oh, Adrien, hi,” she said. She came to sat next to him, and she smiled sweetly at him. And there was that want.

He smiled, because even if this situation was difficult, he couldn’t not smile when Marinette was around him “Hi, Marinette.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Nothing, just…” his hand waved at the air in front of him as if the answer to her question was there. “Just thinking.”

She said nothing as she stood up and came to stand in front of him. He tilted his head back to meet her gaze. She gave a little hum. “Thinking can be dangerous.” She gave a little wink that tugged at his heart for too many reasons to count.

He gave her a little smirk, one usually reserved for when he was Chat and her eyes widened. “You’re right. Especially when they’re thoughts about you.”

She flushed heavily and he could have sworn her knees wobbled slightly. “Oh,” she managed. “You’re thinking about me?”

He nodded, and grabbed her hand to tug her forward. Her legs brushed his knees and it sent a heat through him. “I think about you all the time,” he admitted, and his smirk had been replaced by a sincere smile.

This time he was sure her legs trembled because he could feel it. He stood up and now they were so close to each other.

She didn’t seem to be breathing as he raised a hand to brush hair back from her face. She leaned into his touch, and he left his hand to cup her face.

“Why,” she breathed, “were you thinking about me?”

He smiled at her. “Why wouldn’t I be thinking about you?”

Her eyes shut for a moment, and when they opened the undiluted want in her eyes had him feeling faint. And just like with Ladybug, it was no longer want, but pure need.

Adrien had enough and that was what made him pull Marinette flush against him. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said, making the desire clear in his voice.

She said nothing as she lifted a hand and threaded her fingers in his hair, pulling him close to her.

But right before their lips could touch, the locker door was opening and Kim was coming in, staring at his phone. Marinette jumped away. Adrien watched as she began to converse with Kim, who, sure enough, had been too distracted by his phone to have noticed what he interrupted.

And it was so unfair, but maybe it was the universe sending him a signal. The last thing he ever wanted, he thought as Marinette glanced at him, was to hurt her or Ladybug.

  
It all exploded one fateful night when Chat Noir was on patrol. He had been making his way across rooftop after rooftop, a part of him looking for Ladybug. But the other part, he realized, had been making its way to Marinette as he landed on her balcony. She was there and she smiled when she saw him.

He smiled back. “Hi, purr-incess.”

She giggled as she greeted, “Hello, kitty. What brings you here tonight?”

“I just…I just came.” Because he didn’t have a reason other than wanting to see her. Which he also told her.

“Oh,” she said and she took a step towards him. “W-why?”

He let his eyes wander over her. She wore black, silk pajama bottoms, and a lime green pajama top with a stitching of a golden bell on the center. His eyes widened.

When he met her gaze he saw a flush spreading over her face. “It’s, uh…they’re…” Her hands made motions in the air as she tried to come up with something to say, but nothing came out. He smiled with glee at the thought of Marinette making pajamas based on him with the intent on wearing them.

She looked away. “Well, don’t look so happy about it.”

Chat shook his head. “How could I not be happy about this?”

She rubbed one of her arms nervously, blowing air out of her mouth in an attempt to compose herself. But Chat taking another step closer to her had her losing all composure as she said, “Why would you be so happy about this?”

He shook his head again, his gaze on hers, wanting and needing. “Marinette.” It was all he could answer, but she knew what he meant because then her hands gripped his arms as his held onto her waist, pulling her closer.

She looked at his chest for a second, as if it were one last attempt to resist this, but then her gaze met his and they both stopped breathing.

“We…we can’t,” she managed.

“Why not?”

“Because you said so.”

Chat pulled back eyes-wide as he furrowed his eyebrows together. “I never told you we couldn’t, I only told…” And then everything fell into place because there was panic in Marinette, in _Ladybug’s_ gaze, as she rapidly shook her head.

“I meant…not that!” But it was too late because he was picking her up and spinning her around and laughing. And soon Marinette was laughing too, even as she demanded to be put back down. He complied, but he kept his hands on heras he stared at her in wonder.

“It’s _you_ ,” he said, breathlessly.

She bit her lip and met his gaze nervously. “It’s me. What…does this mean?”

He smiled. “It means I’m going to kiss you.”

She stopped him by putting a hand on his chest. “But what about the other girl you liked?”

Chat’s smile grew. “My heart has always belonged to Marinette and Ladybug. It’s just no longer split in two.”

“Oh,” she managed. Then, “I’m ready to be kissed.”

He laughed but then paused. He took a step back. “But what about the other person _you_ like?”

She froze and he released her. Marinette sighed as she admitted, “A part of me does still love Adrien, but-”

“What? Adrien Agreste,” Chat interrupted suddenly.

She eyes him nervously as she nodded.

Then Chat was laughing again and spinning her some more. This time she didn’t laugh along, instead she demanded to know what he was so happy about. So he destranfromed.

And the look in her eyes and the way she said, “Oh,” made the wait worth it.

“Yeah,” Adrien said with a smile. “Oh.”

She smiled back, and it was that smile that he fell in love with, and how could he not have known sooner?

“Adrien,” and she said it in a way that made him melt. In that moment, he needed to kiss her more than he needed to breathe.

As if reading his mind, a determined look came into Marinette’s eyes as she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him to her. She stopped when his face was an inch from hers. “I said I’m ready to be kissed.”

And, really, how could he tell her no?


End file.
